


earl grey

by bettersounds (thebadguyswin)



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-08-31 10:57:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8575648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebadguyswin/pseuds/bettersounds
Summary: “Regular Earl Grey, please.
  
  “Lemon?”
  
  “Yeah, lemon.”.
  
  “$2. I’ll bring it over.”
  
aka another coffee shop au





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> have u really written fanfic if you've not written coffee shop au tho like ya boy is SO ORIGINAL

“Earl Grey, please. Regular.”

Josh glances up from where he’s scribbling out the forms for the next shipments to the shop. He hadn’t even noticed the bell by the door tinkling to signal the new arrival.

“Stay in or to-go?”

“Sitting in.”

“That’s $2. It’ll be ready in a few minutes.” He takes payment from the customer and sets about getting the hot water and tea bag.

“Can I get that with lemon?” The customer asks politely. His voice isn’t at all deep.

Josh shrugs. “No problem. I’ll bring it over if you wanna take a seat.”

He smiles. “Thanks.” He takes a seat at a small table by the window. He yanks off a black pullover hoodie to reveal a Mickey Mouse shirt. He pulls out a laptop, and a couple of complicated-looking books, and a notepad and pen.

Josh takes the mug of Earl Grey tea over to the customer and sets it down.

“Thanks.” He smiles and moves a book over to accommodate the cup.

“Any time.” Josh smiles. He goes back to the counter and continues filling out order forms.

* * *

 

The door tinkles as Josh is wiping down a couple of recently vacated tables. He looks up to see a customer, with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a blue button up shirt and carrying a satchel.

“I’ll be right with you.” Josh smiles and quickly sprays and wipes the last table.

“What can I get you?” He rushes behind the till and punches a button to start a new transaction.

The customer smiles. “Regular Earl Grey, please.”

“Lemon?”

“Yeah, lemon.” He smiles.

“$2. I’ll bring it over.”

The customer smiles and pays and settles himself back at the table by the window and pulls out different books. Josh takes him his tea, smiles, and goes back to the counter.

The customer steals glances in direction of the blue-haired cashier, but he doesn’t notice.

* * *

 

Josh sees Earl Grey for weeks. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and maybe the occasional Tuesday, he comes into the coffee shop and orders a regular Earl Grey with lemon, sits by the window, and does work.

Josh sees so many different books, he wonders how Earl Grey has time for them all. They’re literature books, mainly, but also sometimes there’s history books. Earl Grey barely looks up from them, ordering another cup of tea or two to keep him going. He stays there for five, six hour tops, then leaves. His head is always kept down and he doesn’t do much more than smile and thank Josh.

But now, it is a Saturday. Saturday at 11.26am. The coffee shop is busy. There’s a queue, as there usually is at this time on a Saturday, so there are two people on the till. Most people are having their drinks to go, so the café is fairly empty despite the steady flow of customers and payments.

Josh spots a familiar face in the queue. He’s wearing a plain white t-shirt this time, and is chatting to a taller guy beside him. Josh counts the people in queue, and works out if Brendon serves the tall guy, he’d be serving Earl Grey.

“Brendon.” Josh says under his breath as he steams milk and Brendon reaches for the vanilla syrup. “Tall Guy, fringe. Serve him.”

Brendon frowns. “Why?”

“Because I’m serving White T-shirt.”

Brendon raises an eyebrow. “Is that so? What if I found White T-shirt more attractive than Tall Guy?”

“Then I’d tell you to pick up more mid-week shifts and you can call dibs.”

“You got me there.” Brendon snorts.

Brendon times it well.

“Next.” He calls, looking directly at Tall Guy. “What can I get you?”

Josh finishes adding the whipped cream to a hot chocolate intended for a very excited looking young girl who hasn’t let go of her mother’s hand since she set foot through the door.

“There you go, sweetie.” He gives her his cheeriest grin and laughs as her eyes widen at the mountain of cream.

“What do you say, Carrie?” Her mother prompts.

“Thank you, mithter.” She lisps.

Josh smiles, and turns back to the queue. “Next.”

Earl Grey/White T-shirt looks up in surprise. “Hey.” He smiles.

“No don’t tell me.” Josh laughs as he reaches the till. “Regular Earl Grey, lemon?”

Earl Grey smiles. “How’d you guess?”

“I’m psychic.”

Earl Grey laughs. “Sure. $2?”

Josh nods, holding out his palm. Earl Grey’s finger tips brush Josh’s palm as he hands over the money.

“I’ll bring it over. That is, if you’re staying?”

Ear Grey smiles. “You bet.”

Earl Grey and Tall Guy sit by the window, chatting, while Josh and Brendon busy themselves making drinks.

“Man, you got the easy one. Tall Guy wants a god damn Frappuccino.”

Josh laughs and rolls his eyes. “Tell you what, I’ll take them over.”

Josh is good at his job, and can carry the tray with two drinks across the café with one hand and not spill a single drop.

“Frap?” He slides the cup in front of Tall Guy. “And Earl Grey.” He smiles and sets the other cup down. He turns around and is about to head back over to the counter when-

“Hey, uh, dude.”

Josh stops and turns back to face Tall Guy. “Uhuh?”

“Uh.” Tall Guy snickers. “What’s your name?”

“’Scuse me?”

“Your name?” Tall Guy smiles. “Getting kind of tired of only knowing you as ‘coffee guy with the blue hair…”

Josh swallows and glances between Tall Guy and Earl Grey. “Uh. Josh. I’m Josh.” Earl Grey is noticeably blushing.

“Nice.” Tall Guy smiles and nods. “I’m Dallon. This is my friend Tyler.” Dallon kicks Tyler under the table.

“Uh, hi.” Tyler looks into his mug instead of looking at Josh.

“Nice to meet you.” Josh smirks. He goes to head back to the counter, then stops himself one last time. “I guess names are good. Kinda sick of calling you Earl Grey in my head, to be honest.” Josh hurries back behind the counter. He pretends not to hear the whispering and giggling from Dallon as he walks away.

“Well?” Brendon pushes his glasses to the end of his nose and looks down at Josh. “What’d Tall Guy want? He kept you there for a little while…”

Josh snorts. “Nothing.”

“Didn’t look like nothing.”

Josh squints and pulls Brendon’s glasses off his face and peers through the lenses. “Hm, might wanna get a new prescription.”

Brendon snorts and snatches his glasses back. “Whatever.”

Josh smiles. He glances over to Tyler’s table. Tyler’s looking at him, shyly, and blushing, and he tries to pretend he wasn’t looking. Josh smiles at Tyler. Tyler smiles back.

Josh goes back to serving customers.

* * *

 

It’s Monday, and Josh walks to work with a spring in his step. He’s almost excited, now that he knows Earl Grey’s name.

 _Tyler_. He smiles.

It’s short lived, though. Monday comes and goes without any sign of the regular customer. Josh is a little shaken by the no-show. He hopes Saturday didn’t scare Tyler off, although he struggles to see why it should.

Josh is hopeful for Tuesday, but not surprised that another day goes by without him having to make an Earl Grey with lemon.

So when Wednesday arrives, and the bell by the door tinkles, and a familiar face steps into the café, Josh has to do everything in his power to stop himself beaming at Tyler. Instead, he looks down and busies himself making the other customers’ orders.

Then Tyler’s next in line.

“Uh, next.” Josh calls. He doesn’t know if he should call Tyler by name. That might be weird.

Tyler smiles and steps forward. “Hey. Uh, Josh right?”

Josh smiles encouragingly. “Yeah. Tyler?” He nods. “Right. I’ll get your tea.”

Tyler stifles a laugh and hands over $2, but stays by the counter as Josh fixes his drink.

“So… Uh… Josh…” Tyler begins.

Josh looks round from the work station. “Yeah.”

“So. Um.”

“You gonna say anything else apart from ‘so’ and ‘uhm’?” Josh grins, showing all of his teeth and wrinkling his nose.

Tyler laughs and runs a hand through his hair. “God, I hope so.”

Josh can see he’s struggling, and nervous, so he helps him out. “You got much work to do today?”

Tyler frowns. “How d’you… guess…”

“C’mon, I have eyes. You’ve been coming here for weeks, working your butt off, drinking your tea. You got a good routine.” Josh gestures to Tyler’s bag. “Your bag looks pretty full today. So, I guess you got a lot of work.”

“Dude, you could get on the police force with detective skills like that.” Tyler chuckles.

Josh shakes his head. “Nah, not my scene.”

“What is your scene?”

Josh waves his hands at his surroundings. “Coffee. People. Nice stuff like that. Much more my pace.” He hands Tyler his tea.

Tyler nods, accepting the drink. “Suits you.” Tyler chews at his bottom lip. “Anyway, thanks. For the tea.”

Josh smiles. “Any time.”

Tyler sits by the window and works, but this time he smiles at Josh whenever he walks past carrying an order or wiping down a table. And when Tyler packs up his books and leaves, he waves and utters a small “see ya tomorrow” as he heads to the door.

Josh’s heart flutters and he waves back.

* * *

 

“Today’s the worst.” Tyler gasps and slumps against the counter. Rain has soaked through his hoodie, and his satchel is dripping onto the floor.

Josh is already preparing Tyler’s tea. “Weather does suck.” He laughs.

“Yeah.” Tyler snorts. “And I gotta study for a test tomorrow and I’m so underprepared.” Tyler digs out money from his pocket and hands it to Josh as his order is rung up.

“What’s it on?” Josh puts the money in the till and prints the receipt, throwing it straight in the trash. Tyler never wants it.

“20th century dystopian literature.”

“Ooohh.” Josh raises his eye brows. “Brave New World and Big Brother type shit?”

Tyler laughs. “Yeah, you into it?”

Josh shrugs. “I read. That stuff bums me out so much, I love it.”

Tyler smiles. “At least one of us does.”

“You want me to help you out?”

Tyler frowns. “You’re working.”

Josh rolls his eyes. “Bren?” Josh calls into the storeroom.

“Yuhuh?” Brendon stumbles out, an empty cardboard box stuck on his foot. “You called?”

“Cover the till for me.”

“Why?”

“Gonna help Tyler study. I’m due my lunch break anyway.”

Brendon snorts. “Fine. Who am I to cockblock…”

Josh feels his face get hot, and Tyler shifts and giggles shyly. “Just serve the fucking customers.” Josh breathes.

Brendon smiles sweetly as Josh walks with Tyler to his usual table.

“You hungry?” Josh pulls off his work apron and hangs it on the back of the chair while Tyler lifts out a couple of books.

He shrugs. “A little. Not that I can afford anything. Student perks.”

Josh smiles. “On me. What do you want?”

“Josh, no…” Tyler begins.

“Relax, I get a weekly allowance for lunch on my wages but I don’t use all of it. I got this.”

Tyler smiles and bites his lip. “Tuna melt?”

“On it.” Josh nips behind the counter and grabs Tyler’s sandwich and a BLT sub for himself.

“Bone app the teeth.” Josh laughs and sets down two plates. “So, what we got?”

“Pop quiz on Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Tyler flicks through his notes.

Josh nods, biting into his sandwich. “I can help with that.”

Tyler raises and eyebrow. “Okay. Test me.” He hands Josh a few work sheets.

Josh smiles as he reads Tyler’s handwriting, at how loopy and smooth it is.

“Josh?”

Tyler’s voice snaps Josh out of his trance. “Right. Uh.” He actually reads the words. “Okay. What year was it published?”

Tyler laughs. “Easy. 1949.”

“Yep.” Josh smiles. “That was easy. Okay, what are the names of ministries and their roles?”

Tyler frowns. “Peace. They deal with war. Plenty, who deal with rationing? Love, who do the weird Room 101 shit, and um… Truth!” He snaps his fingers. “They’re newspapers and propaganda.”

Josh nods. “Are you sure you’re unprepared?”

Tyler shrugs. “We won’t know until tomorrow.”

Josh goes through practically the whole novel with Tyler, excited to be talking to someone about one of his favourite books. Tyler smiles throughout, his eyes wide and eager whenever they stumble upon some kind of new revelation about the book.

An hour later, Josh looks at his watch and sighs. “I gotta get back to work.”

Tyler looks a little crestfallen, but nods. “Thanks for helping, anyway.”

“No problem.” Josh smiles. “Hey, I’ll just be over here if you need to talk some more. I can still chat when I’m not serving someone.”

Tyler smiles. “Okay.”

Josh and Tyler chat from across the small room. The café is relatively empty, and Brendon is there to help with the few customers they do have. No one seems to mind them talking, so they keep going.

Tyler checks his watch a few hours later. “I gotta go.” He sighs.

Josh nods. “I guessed so.”

“You know my schedule off by heart or something?”

Josh shrugs. “You’ve got a pretty regular schedule.”

Tyler smiles. “Whatever, dude.”

Josh blushes, but snorts. “Get outta here.”

Tyler grins and slings his bag over his shoulder. “See ya tomorrow.” He heads out the door, thankful that the rain eased off.

Brendon whistles from behind Josh. “You got it bad.”

Josh shoves Brendon. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Whatever.” Brendon tuts.

* * *

 

Tyler scores the best mark in his class on that test. He walks into the coffee shop with a grin on his face and a bounce in his step when he goes to tell Josh. Josh is delighted and gives Tyler a high-five, a large Earl Grey tea for the price of a regular, and a free muffin to celebrate.

Three weeks go by. But now, Josh and Tyler talk whenever Tyler comes in, and Josh spends his lunch break sitting with Tyler and helping him with his work. Josh is smart, and loves reading. Tyler is smart, and loves hearing Josh talk about reading.

Brendon rolls his eyes a lot and makes retching noises when they sit together. That is, unless it’s a Saturday and Dallon is there with Tyler. Brendon is much more civil in those cases.

“Josh.” Tyler says one Thursday.

“Yeah?” Josh is eating a cheese toastie and proofreading Tyler’s assignment.

“Do you… Maybe…” Tyler stammers.

“Do I maybe what?”

Tyler swallows. “Do you maybe wanna go out sometime? Like, together?”

Josh stops chewing.

“It’s cool if you don’t, I mean… Oh God… Forget I said anything…”

Josh laughs. “Okay, sure dude.”

“Forget it I’m being dumb I-“

“Tyler.” Josh speaks up. “I said okay.”

“Huh?”

“Okay. Let’s go out sometime.” Josh grins.

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure.” Josh shrugs. “Why not? It’s not like we’re strangers.”

“Josh… I mean… Like… You know I mean date, right?”

Josh laughs, hard. He rubs his tummy. “I know what you mean.”

“Oh. Okay. Good. I guess, we… Er… We’ll go on a date then.” Tyler nods and smiles.

Josh writes his phone number on a napkin and tucks it inside Tyler’s notebook. “Got any ideas?”

Tyler smirks. “I think we’re over coffee dates.”

“God, yes.” Josh groans and leans back in his chair. “A change of scenery might be nice.” Josh pauses. “Are these technically dates?”

Tyler blushes. “I mean… I guess not officially…”

Josh grins. “You kinda wanna count them as dates, don’t you?”

Tyler shakes his head. “I don’t think they count if they’re one sided.”

“What makes you think they were one sided?”

“Well.” Tyler chews the inside of his cheek. “I think I noticed you before you noticed me.”

Josh snorts. “You think?”

Tyler shrugs. “Well… You… Uh…”

“How many people’s order do you think I remember?” Josh bites his lip and tilts his head to the side as Tyler blushes again and fumbles with the sleeve of his long sleeved shirt.

“I dunno.”

“Not many.”

“Oh.”

“It was a Wednesday when you first came in here.” Josh continues. “You had a black hoodie, and a Mickey Mouse shirt, and you asked for lemon with your tea. I don’t get points for that though, since it’s all you drink.”

Tyler giggles. “Oh. So you did notice me.”

Josh nods. “How could I not?”

“I guess… I uh… I’m kind of boring.”

Josh frowns. “Why?”

Tyler rubs his eyes. “I told Dallon about you. I uh, he found it funny because he tried to work out what you’d call me if you didn’t know my name.”

“Is that where ‘coffee guy with the blue hair’ came from?” Josh tugs at his dyed hair.

Tyler nodded. “We settled on ‘skinny nerd with the books’.”

Josh chuckles. “Too bad I settled on ‘Earl Grey’ in my head.”

“Fitting.”

“How? You’re the least aristocratic looking guy I’ve ever seen…” Josh rests his chin on his hands.

“Whatever, Coffee Guy with the Blue Hair.”

“Ouch, don’t be mean. You’re meant to be taking me out on a date.” Josh pouts.

Tyler sticks his bottom lip out and wobbles it, feigning hurt. “Okay, babe.”

“So, where are you taking me?”

Tyler puts his pen in his mouth and chews it thoughtfully. “I got some ideas.”

“Which are?”

He winks. “Surprise. When do you finish work?”

Josh narrows his eyes. “I get off at six.”

Tyler nods, and starts shoving books into his bag. “That’ll work.”

“Tonight?”

Tyler nods. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

Josh laughs. “Okay, dude. Let’s do it.”

Tyler stands, smiles, and hooks his bag over his shoulder. “See you at six.”

Josh grins and stands too. “See you at six.” He grabs their empty cups and plates, then leans in and presses a kiss to Tyler’s cheek. “Don’t be late.” He turns quickly to go back to the counter.

Tyler is blushing more than Josh has ever seen him blush, but Tyler is also giggling. “You have my word.”

Josh smiles to himself as he hears the bell by the door tinkle, and watches from the window as Tyler almost skips down the street.

He’d have to stock up on Earl Grey tea at home, he realised, but that’s okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I might write the date one day. So.

Josh is nervous. It’s 5.45, and he’s meant to be going on a date in fifteen minutes.

He was intending on going home after his shift, and changing into sweatpants and a shirt a few sizes too big for him and having a baked potato with beans and cheese.

Now, that had turned into… a date.

_Maybe I could have a baked potato on this date._

_Unless Tyler takes me to a really fancy restaurant._

_I don’t like fancy restaurants. They make me nervous._

_Where’s Tyler taking me?_

“You feeling okay buddy?”

Brendon’s voice snaps Josh out of his trance. “Huh? Yeah. Just thinking.”

The coffee shop is pretty much empty, save for the odd guy in a suit running in for one last shot of caffeine before heading home. Josh has no idea what difference a coffee at this hour makes, but it means they earn a few extra bucks before they have to close up.

“About your date?”

“Yes. About my date.”

Brendon wiggles his eyebrows and whistles through his teeth. “I almost can't believe he asked you out. ’Bout freakin’ time too.”

Josh rolls his eyes. “What? Were we moving too slow for you?”

“Boy, you know I’d have tapped that in the toilets on his second visit.”

“Yeah, and gotten yourself fired just as fast as you move with everyone you date.” Josh scolds.

“Yikes, you shaming me there, Dun?” Brendon whips him with the towel that was previously draped over his shoulder.

“I could never.” Josh smirks. “You have too much shit on me as it stands. Gotta stay in my lane.”

“Damn right. Don’t wanna be exposed to your little lover boy on your first date, do we?”

Josh is pinning Brendon’s arm behind his back until he’s whimpering “peanuts” when Tyler walks through the door.

“Am I… interrupting…” Tyler frowns at the somewhat confusing scene before him. He’s wearing a white button up shirt and a leather jacket and black jeans, and he looks good.

Josh lets Brendon go. “Nope. We were just finishing up.” He smiles sweetly.

“Yep.” Brendon gasps, rubbing his elbow. “Just finishing up.”

“Good.” Tyler smiles. “You good to go?”

Josh nods. “Sure, just let me grab my jacket from the back.”

Josh is quick. He grabs his jacket, camouflage with grey-black leather sleeves, and slips his grey beanie over his head. He’s suddenly aware of his clothing. Black jeans, with holes in the knees that started out small and frayed but what have since spread to reveal a fair amount of thigh. A t-shirt with “heavy metal” printed on it in block letters. He really hopes Tyler isn’t taking him anywhere fancy.

“I’m good.” He announces, looping around to the front of the counter.

“Cool.” Tyler looks a little flustered, and Brendon looks sheepish. But Josh can’t worry about that. “Let’s go.”

“See ya tomorrow, Bren.” Josh gives him a small wave and follows Tyler out.

Josh and Tyler walk around ten steps in silence. Josh scuffs his feet a little, the laces of his docs a little loose, but not in the way.

Tyler breaks the silence. “So.” He breathes. “Okay day at work?” He offers lamely.

“Yeah.” Josh shoves his hands in his pockets. “Busy, but that’s okay.”

“Sorry if I take up too much of your time if you should be working…”

“Don’t be silly.” Josh laughs. “I’m entitled to my lunch break and I can do what I want in it.”

Tyler bites his lip and looks at the ground. “And you want to spend so many of them with me?”

Josh shrugs. “Better than sitting in the staff room by myself.”

“I guess.”

“So where’re we going?” Josh bounces a little as he walks.

“To the bus stop.”

“Romantic?”

Tyler snorts. “Maybe buses aren’t romantic, but they’re cheap and take you to places that are.”

Josh scrunches up his nose. “They can also take you to places that aren’t.”

“Buses can do that. That’s kinda their thing. They take you to different places. Y’know, for people who need to get somewhere.”

“You know what else takes you to places?”

“A lot of things?”

“But do you know something… specifically…”

“Josh, what.”

“We could always take my car. Just saying.”

Tyler sighs. “I guess that would be quicker. I’d be a shitty date organiser though…”

Josh laughs. “No, dude. If you have a plan, I’ll go along with it. Just let me drive. You can do directions, right?”

Tyler smiles. “Okay. You can drive. You parked far away?”

“Just at my place.”

Tyler frowns. “Is… Is that far.”

Josh laughs and points at the apartment complex on the corner. “Nope.”

“You live so close to work?”

Josh looks at the ground, grinning and shrugging. “I told ya, I’m really into the coffee shop scene. Don’t worry, we don’t have to go up to my place. The parking lot’s under the building.”

"How do you afford it? Wait, is that rude? I just... I can't imagine a coffee shop paying so well..."

"It's okay." Josh giggles. "I rent with a friend. We can afford it together. It's not much, but it's a roof and a bed and we manage."

"Sounds nice." Tyler pouts a little. "Probably better than a college dorm, anyway."

"Maybe a little." Josh leads the way to a door into the building with an elevator, and hits the UG floor button.

Tyler drags his toes across the floor of the elevator as it descends. They’re floral and pretty. Josh likes them.

“Are you gonna give me any clues about where we’re going or is the mystery act deliberate.”

Tyler giggles. “Kinda deliberate. But if you’d rather I told you I could…”

“No, it’s fine. I love it.” Josh breathes. He hopes that wasn’t a weird thing to say. “Just, is it fancy? I’m kinda…” He gestures to his clothes. “…Not fancy.”

Tyler shakes his head. “You’re good.”

They get into Josh’s car and they drive. They drive for a while, with Tyler not doing too bad on giving Josh directions. They start to leave the city and pass through suburbs. Then suburbs become more rural.

“Dude, are you taking me some place to murder me?” Josh laughs, only a little bit nervous.

Tyler smirks. “I’d be one dedicated murderer to have invested so much time in you just to murder you now.”

“You are pretty dedicated.”

“I’m barely dedicated to college. To kill someone? Dude, too much effort.”

“I can’t believe I’m saved because of your lack of motivation.”

“I guess that’s one positive.”

They drive for a while. The clock in Josh’s car is broken and he isn’t wearing a watch, but he knows it’s a while. It doesn’t feel like a while, not with Tyler sitting next to him. It just feels like any other lunch date with him in the café, albeit in a car and in the evening and there’s no food.

“Here.” Tyler points to a parking lot. They’re in a really rural area now, and this car park isn’t tarmacked and there are no bays marked out, so Josh guesses a space and parks up. “Let’s go.”

Tyler leads the way this time. Up a grassy hill with rocks and boulders and a path worn down from feet rather than actually being dug out.

“Dude.” Josh takes strong steps up the hill, thankful his jeans don’t restrict his movement and his boots are strong. “Are we hiking?”

Tyler turns to him, his cheeks a little flushed and his pink lips a little darker. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Sick.” Josh breathes.

Tyler laughs. “So sick. C’mon, you gotta see.” He picks up his pace a little.

Tyler reaches the top first, and finds a rock that reaches his hips to lean against it. Josh follows not far behind, leaning against the same rock after Tyler shuffles over to make room.

“You know, I thought you were weird for picking climbing a hill in the middle of nowhere for a first date. But I think I get it.” Josh breathes, looking out at the view.

It’s dusk, and the bright blue sky is starting to darken behind them. In front of them, the sun is turning from a bright yellow to a warm orange as it sinks lower and lower. Josh can see where the lights of the suburbs transition into the lights of the inner city. The gradual ombre of brightness until the centre is almost blinding. The outskirts a darker, relying more on the moving dots of car headlights.

“Yeah. It’s not very high up here, but it’s a good view. Kinda flat over there so… I like it…”

“You come here often?”

Tyler smiles. “When I can afford the bus.”

Josh nods. “It’s beautiful.”

“So are you.” Tyler blushes.

Josh blushes too. “I… Thanks? Do I say thanks?”

Tyler laughs, wrapping his arms over his chest. “If that’s how you want to respond, dude.”

“I…” Josh looks at the ground. “Thanks.” He nudges Tyler’s shoulder with his own.

“Sorry.” Tyler shakes his head.

“What for?”

“That was clumsy. Too sudden. I made it awkward.”

“Tyler-“

“I’m not saying you’re not beautiful, because you are-“

“Ty-“

“But I should be smoother, man. I’m not good at this kind of thing. I panicked and asked you out tonight and I didn’t have a plan and now I-“

Josh kisses Tyler. It’s quick, but Josh still lingers, his lips hovering over Tyler’s. Tyler was babbling, and trying to dig himself out of a whole he’d created. Tyler needed to shut up and listen. This worked.

“I-“

“Will you stop babbling now?”

Tyler nods, pressing his lips together.

“Good.” Josh smiles. “This is beautiful. And it’s nice you wanted to take me out. Kinda had been waiting for weeks…”

“You coulda asked me out.” Tyler is smiling.

“Shy.” Josh shrugs. “I probably would’ve thrown up before I finished my sentence.”

“I’m not that intimidating. Look at me.” Tyler pats his hips.

“Intimidatingly pretty, maybe.”

“You’re just saying that because I called you beautiful.”

Josh laughs. “Nah, you just made it clear we can say stuff like that to each other. Don’t wanna overstep the boundaries.”

Tyler snorts. He leans in to kiss Josh again. Slower, this time. “You set the boundaries for that.”

“I guess I did. Is that okay with you?”

“I guess.”

They spend a long time on that hillside, watching the moving dots of light as the sun sinks lower and lower. They talk, and hold hands, and Tyler finds himself smiling so much his cheeks hurt.

There’s a chill in the air and the sky is a dark purple moving into a deep, bring blue with golden streaks by the time Josh wraps his arm around Tyler’s shoulder and suggests they drive back.

“Not that I want to leave, but… It’ll be cold soon. Don’t want you to catch a cold.” Josh smiles with enough warmth to ensure that could never happen.

Tyler blushes. “I guess.” He looks crestfallen.

“What’s wrong?” Josh and Tyler begin to trot down the path.

“Just… This was okay, right?”

“I’d say.”

“Okay.”

“Pretty perfect, really. “

“Really?”

Josh nods, amused by Tyler’s awe that he enjoyed it so much. “Come on, I’ll drop you home, wherever that is.”

“Are you sure? I mean I can walk from your place, it’s oka-“

“Tyler.”

“Okay.”

They drive back. Tyler fiddles with the knobs on Josh’s radio, twisting it until the static turns into a song he recognises.

“Oh my god.” Tyler says in a hushed voice as music streams through the speakers.

Josh recognises it. “Tyler, please don’t…”

“ _DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE… LOVING SOMEONE, WHO’S IN A RUSH TO THROW YOU AWAY?”_

“Ty-“

“ _DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, TO BE THE LAST ONE… TO KNOW THE LOCK ON THE DOOR HAS CHANGED?”_

Tyler is putting his all into his performance, much to the embarrassment of Josh. Josh is laughing, though, enjoying Tyler’s display too much to be in any way annoyed.

“Do you not appreciate my singing?” Tyler huffs in feigned offence.

“No.” Josh chuckles. “Your voice is amazing. Your music taste… Not so much.”

“Tell me you don’t like Enrique a little bit.”

“Not as much as you, clearly.” Josh smiles.

“He’s not bad.”

“Maybe. Not good, either.”

Tyler pouts, and Josh laughs. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

"I'm starving." Tyler mumbles. So Josh pulls in at a drive-thru and orders the largest serving of chicken nuggets the place sells and two milkshakes. They park up in a shopping mall car park and stuff themselves.

"Dude, dunk it." Tyler holds up his milkshake.

"What?"

"Your nugget." He points. "Dunk it in the shake."

"That sounds gross."

"Have you ever tried it?"

"No..."

"Don't knock it until you try it."

Josh tries it. It isn't as bad as he imagined it would be. 

They finish, and Tyler directs Josh past the coffee shop at to his college campus.

“This will do.” He says once they have pulled up near his accommodation. “No point you trying to get past campus security.” He points to the barriers blocking the entrance.

“One day, maybe.” Josh breathes.

“Yeah. One day.” Tyler smiles and reaches across the console for Josh’s hand. “This is kind of the wrong way round… since I asked you but… I had a good time tonight.”

Josh grins. “So did I.”

“Would you mind if… If it happened again?” Tyler is hesitant.

“I don’t think I’d mind at all.”

“Okay. Cool.”

“It’s my turn to pick the date next time.”

Tyler smiles. “Okay.”

Josh leans across the console to press his lips against Tyler’s. Tongues meet, before he pulls away gently. “You’re not even meant to kiss on the first date. We’ve done it three times.”

Tyler laughs. “We’ve had like seventeen half-dates. I think we’re allowed.”

“I guess.”

“I should go.” Tyler whispers. “Thanks for the ride. And the food. And the uh… agreeing to a date… thing.”

Josh bites his lip. “Anytime. See you Monday. I’ll have your tea ready.”

“Okay.” Tyler smiles.

Tyler gets out of the car. Josh gives him a small wave and makes sure he’s safely on campus grounds before pulling away.

Josh smiles to himself as he drives home, thinking about the sunset, the streetlights, and the boy with glittering brown eyes prettier than them both combined.

**Author's Note:**

> also I never mentioned it in A/Ns but ya boy SAW THE BOYS @ ALLY PALLY ERS LONDON SHOW AND GOT BARRIER AND HELD JOSH UP FOR TREES SO YA BOY IS HAPPY amen


End file.
